Two top criminal lawyers of Delhi -- I U Khan and R K Anand -- are fighting to defend their reputation, which is at stake following a sting operation telecast by television channel NDTV on Wednesday night where main witness Sunil Kulkarni is shown striking a deal with the advocates for refusing to identify Sunil Nanda, prime accused in the BMW hit-and-run case.

Nanda had allegedly mowed down six persons in New Delhi in 1999.

According to the tape, Kulkarni asked for Rs 2.5 crore for changing his stand. When the concerned advocate said that this was too much, he told them to get prepared to send their rich and powerful client to jail for ten years

However, Khan and Anand washed their hands off the entire episode. In fact, Khan had sent a notice to the channel's chief editor ten days back explaining his position.

"I am advocate and the whole bar association will stand behind me," he said in a threatening tone to the correspondents who went to meet him asking him to come clean.

Khan has charged NDTV with providing a hidden camera to Kulkarni to force a conversation on a predetermined pattern in order to fix him.

Talking to rediff.com on Thursday morning, Anand rubbished the charges against him and said: "When he made ridiculous demands, I simply laughed it off. We made no effort to strike a deal with him."

Meanwhile, the Delhi police is contemplating action against Khan. It may even replace him as prosecution lawyer. Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul was not available for comment but a senior police official said action had already been initiated in this case.

A Delhi court is likely to hear the matter on Thursday afternoon where Kulkarni is expected to be cross examined by the prosecution.